Rolling Stone asked a bunch of rock stars what their favorite ballparks are. There are a lot of good answers. Two of the best come from Alice Cooper and George Thorogood, mostly because it shows you just how damn old they are. Cooper says “Briggs Stadium,” was his favorite. Thorogood says Connie Mack Park. The former last went by that name 52 years ago. The latter ceased hosting ballgames 42 years ago.

But the truly best comments come in the form of swipes at the teams these musicians hate. Like this one from Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie:

The new Yankee stadium is by far the worst I’ve been to. It might look like the old one from the outside, but inside it’s more like a gaudy, Long Island shopping mall than a ballpark. A classic example of what happens when people have too much money and very little taste. Plus, it tends to be full of Yankees fans.

But he does love where the Pirates play. So, you know, you can follow him into PNC Park.

Are Character and Sould the names of new forms of bacteria that were growing in the upper tier men’s room? While I certainly appreciated the history of the old park, much of the experience for us not-so-well-heeled types was unpleasant. Walking down those winding ramps pressed cheek-to-cheek against belligerent drunkards, garbage cart guys running over my feet while waiting in LOOOOOOOOOOOng lines for a lukewarm hot dog, always having at least on of the three main games closed…there was definitely room for improvement.

I totally agree. Citi Field caught a bunch of flack when it opened, but I think it’s leaps and bounds better than the new Yankee Stadium. Until I stumble upon the baseball field there I’m almost certain I’m in a casino. I didn’t particularly love the old Yankee Stadium either though…mostly because it wasn’t the OLD Yankee stadium.

He does have a valid point though. I’ve been to Yankee Stadium as a neutral observer. The history, monuments and such may mean more to a fan, but to me it just seemed like it was built to make as much money as possible (which it probably was). In a vacuum, if you forget which teams play there, Citi Field is a more enjoyable stadium to watch a game, in terms of seating, sightlines, concourses, etc.

He is right. I went to the old stadium about fifteen times a year, have been to the new one twice and have little desire to go back. The crowds are usually lifeless, but it just infuriates me that they tore down a place with so much tradition to build an identical one across the street because the first one didn’t make enough money. Plus they used like a billion dollars of public money to do this. That said, I never got DCFC although that Postal Service stuff was excellent.

“… but it just infuriates me that they tore down a place with so much tradition to build an identical one across the street because the first one didn’t make enough money.”

They replaced the old stadium because it couldn’t be upgraded. I had season tickets to the Old Stadium and I agree completely that, as was pointed out by “sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoo”, it had deficiencies in basic health issues like the number, size and location of rest rooms, access and and egress, .. and trying to get refreshments between innings with the narrow corridors was a pain in the ass. In short the Old Stadium had run it’s course. It was time for the fans to get a 21st Century Stadium. It nice to have all the “patina”, lore and history in the Old Stadium but being able to relieve oneself on a hot August afternoon without passing out from the fumes has it’s benefits too.

“Plus they used like a billion dollars of public money to do this.”

No they didn’t. If your going to make an outrageous claim it should be about something that isn’t so easy to debunk.

Also, the Old Yankee Stadium was owned by NYC, who was responsible for it’s up keep. It was headed for major repairs. It was estimated the the City would be on the hook for $100 million in the next five years alone.

A lot of the complaints about the New Stadium sound just like the the people that ranted when the Old Stadium was remodeled in the 70s. I actually went to games in the Old, Old Stadium. The remodeled one was better and the New Stadium better yet. If you don’t like the New Yankee Stadium, .. fine, I think it’s a great place to see a MLB game. Functionally it far better than the Old Stadium. And, if the Yankees can do their part it will have it’s own history to go with it.

The NYC budget office estimated the city’s contribution at 788 million, whle Field of Schemes estimated the total public contribution at 1.2 billion. I am willing to admit the latter source seems biased, but there is a ton of public money in the stadium and its parking garages. (I can provide links later if you need them, but both reports seem quite googlable). All that money to build the same stadium with better amenities across the street. I’d it more functional in regards to concession stands and rest rooms? Sure, but the atmosphere is much worse and that is what I judge a stadium on, hence my opinion. Admittedly I am a sucker for the old stadia one sees in my other favorite sports, college football and European soccer, so I am biased.
If they had built a new stadium with their own money and made it somewhat original, I wouldn’t have as much of a problem, but itis a cheap clone of the previous one and we got to pay to build them a huge revenue booster.

I have “googled” this subject, frequently, and the first thing one realizes is that depending on who’s giving you their point of view will greatly effect the numbers being bandied about.

The one thing everybody that is opposed to this type of City participation in stadium financing neglects to point out is that the bonds issued for the stadium construction, .. and Citi Field, are being paid for by the teams, .. not the tax payers.

That is not to say that aren’t cost associate with City or MTA infrastructure that the Yankees aren’t paying. Nor does that address the issue of the land that was swapped for the new stadium’s construction, which in the end should be a wash. But, the notion that the City handed that Yankees 1.5 billion dollars for the them to build a stadium is patently false, grossly misleading and somewhat simplistic. Also, the parking garages were not the Yankees, .. George Steinbrenner sold them to the City when he bought the team in 1972.

The Yankees, .. and Mets, .. did save a lot of money on the interest rate by having access to City issued tax free bonds. And, the City, State and Federal treasuries will not get capital gains taxes on the interest on money borrowed to build Yankee Stadium but the Yankees, .. and Mets, will be the ones paying off those bonds, for essentially what is NYC property. Also, the IRS had to approve the use of tax free bonds for this purpose so it’s not like this deal was done without independent review. Clearly the City’s administration wanted to work with the Yankees and Mets but this is hardly some back room deal.

Everybody is entitled to their opinion as to whether they like or dislike the new stadium. But, the ONLY thing that the old stadium had that the new stadium lacks is history, .. which will hopefully come with time. In every other aspect, the new Stadium is better. It’s easier to get into and out of, more comfortable to watch a game in, .. it has excellent amenities. Those are the thing that I value as a paying customer. The history will take time.

The old Stadium was a dump and I say with as much as love as I can as a long time Yankees season ticket holder. Personally, I love the new Stadium and I don’t give a rip what some dude who used to be married to Zooey Deschanel has to say about it.

“Death Cab for Cutie is by far the worst I’ve heard. They may dress like the Black Keys, but their music is less inspired, more neighbor’s garage band than a real stage act . A classic example of what happens when people have too much time on their hands and very little musical creativity. Plus, they tend to be a bit full of themselves.”

Enjoy playing in Pittsburgh where the team wins 60 games every year and your security guard will get his ass kicked by a family of four. Most enthusiastic fans at his concert since they generally have nothing to cheer about.

I was in the old Yankee Stadium once in 1953. I was 9 years old and my uncle took me to see the Yankees, with Yogi Berra, Joe Page, Ed Lopat, Allie Reynolds and others against the Indians, with Larry Doby being the only name I can recall.
It was an experience I’ll never forget. The place was like a Cathedral to a 9 year old kid, the announcer with the voice of God (Jeter’s favorite) had just started and the place was truly awesome.

This was almost 60 years ago and it was safe to go on the subway, go to a ball game, go for a walk in Central park, etc.